Biofilms are medically and industrially important because they can accumulate on a wide variety of substrates and are resistant to antimicrobial agents and detergents. Microbial biofilms develop when microorganisms adhere to a surface and produce extracellular polymers that facilitate adhesion and provide a structural matrix. Therefore inhibiting adhesion to surfaces is important. This surface may be inert, non-living material or living tissue.
A method of long-term prevention from biofilm formation is needed. Also needed is a composition that allows for low quantities of a composition to be used effectively to reduce toxicity or other side effects to a user or patient. There is also a need for compositions that are medically acceptable, effective at lower concentrations, free of resistance and relatively economical to manufacture on a commercial scale for reducing biofilm formation in biomedical devices.